Written question WQ88302

Each of the three nations have their own recovery plans and targets to reduce the number of long waiters. Scotland and Wales have specific targets for first outpatients, but England does not. Scotland has targets just for the treatment stage, not the whole RTT pathway, whereas Wales and England have targets for the whole RTT pathway.

The Welsh recovery plan covers and addresses each of the areas of work highlighted in the other nations’ plans and covers a commitment to not only reduce long waits but to also transform how planned care services are delivered. Officials are linked with the other nations to share good practice and learn from each other. It is recognised that Wales is leading in a number of areas in relation to outpatient transformation. Through the Civil Service Live events, Welsh Government officials are presenting our work developing and spreading the use of outpatient video clinics.

Despite the commitment in each of the nation’s plans to reduce long waits to increase capacity and to introduce new ways of working, the consistent challenge of workforce and inflationary pressures are hindering all nations in fully achieving their plans, as highlighted by the National Audit Office report: Managing NHS backlogs and waiting times in England – National Audit Office (NAO) report

We are committed to reducing long waits but this must be balanced with the commitment to manage all aspects of waits. The work to transform all aspects of the RTT pathway is helping Wales to better manage growth in the total waiting list. In the last 12 months, the waiting list increased by 4.7% in Wales and by 15.2% in England.